David R. Currie's
A Rancher's Rumblings
 TBC Newsletter
August 2008
IS THE BGCT INCLUSIVE? (PART ONE)

(Originally published February 26)

Recently, I have heard some people expressing concern that the BGCT does not really welcome all churches to full participation in the life of the convention, especially on important boards and committees. Some seem to even think that I am a person who sort of “blackballs” churches that do not support TBC or CBF.

I am honestly disturbed that anyone might think such a thing, and I was actually surprised at the criticism. Over 1,000 people serve on the 27 boards and committees that relate to the BCCT. One of the main reasons that TBC worked so hard to prevent a Fundamentalist takeover of the BGCT was to keep our ministries and institutions free from control.

Based on my experience, the notion that we were not inclusive of all churches struck me as totally inaccurate. So I decided to examine a few institutions. Remembering Billy Ray Parmer’s admonition that perception is often reality, I thought I should examine reality (besides that, I wanted to know the truth for myself).

I serve on the Howard Payne University Board. To be honest, I had no idea what churches my fellow Board members attended. What I found was that the following 30 churches are represented on the HPU Board:

Coggin Avenue, Brownwood

First, Richardson

Green Acres, Tyler

Crescent Heights, Abilene

First, Salado

Hyde Park, Austin (2)

First, Arlington

First, San Antonio

Lakeside, Granbury

First, Brownwood (4)

First, San Saba

Memorial Drive, Houston

First, Canyon

First, Sulphur Springs

Pioneer Drive, Abilene

First, Coleman

First, Universal City

Second, Houston

First, Grapevine

First, Weatherford

Southland, San Angelo (me)

First, Henderson

First, Wichita Falls

Tallowood, Houston

First, Houston

Friendship, Fairview

University, Fort Worth (2)

First, Mount Vernon

Genesis, Fort Worth

Westside, Lewisville

Now I do not have a list of churches that contribute to CBF, but I do not think that many of these churches do so. However, even if they do, I do not understand what difference it makes, as long as they support Texas Baptists. For that matter, I can certainly identify several churches in this list that have pastors who are strongly pro-SBC.

I thought that I should look at a second Board, so I randomly picked the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s. I found the following representation:

Calvary, McAllen

First, Navasota

Macedonia Missionary, Temple

Comfort, Comfort

First, Normangee

Meadowbrook, Rockdale

Cowboy Church, Mound

First, Rosebud

Medical Center, San Antonio

First, Beeville

First, Salado (2)

Memorial, Temple

First, Belton (5)

First, Temple (4)

New Hope Missionary, Dickinson

First, Boerne

First, Waco

Oak Ridge, San Antonio

First, Falfurrias

First, Woodway (2)

Oakwood, Belton

First, Grand Prairie

Great Hills, Austin

Prestonwood, Plano (2)

First, Hewitt

Green Acres, Tyler

Second, Houston (2)

First, Killeen

Hampton Road, DeSoto

Taylor’s Valley, Temple (2)

First, Marble Falls

 

 

Now, again, I have no real idea where these churches send their mission money. But isn’t that the point? No one is orchestrating these boards to meet an agenda. My hunch is that this Board – as other boards – is reasonably representative of Texas Baptists as a whole. In fact, I recognize several dually-aligned churches that relate to both the BGCT and the SBTC.

Now it may be that several members from dually-aligned churches were appointed by the boards themselves, since the BGCT voted to allow our institutions to appoint 25% of their board members, but that is still significant. Rather than try to control the entire board process, the BGCT voluntarily agreed to allow this change. Do you honestly think that this would happen in Fundamentalist-controlled state conventions, such as Missouri’s, Georgia’s, or Louisiana’s, where strong-arm tactics have been used to control educational institutions?

I am going to examine this further in future articles, but I think that, if one will set aside his or her perceptions and look at reality, one will find that the BGCT is very inclusive of all Texas Baptists.